200 SONGS WITH THE BEST LYRICS. This post: #74: JESSE. Continues: next week

CAFFE` LATTE` PRESENTS

200 SONGS

WITH THE

BEST LYRICS

A countdown of the 200 songs possessing the best lyrics of all-time. A playlist on spotify will be added at the end of the week.

#74

JESSE

“…I’m keeping the light on the stairs,

no, I’m not scared,

I wait for you.

Hey Jesse,

it’s lonely,come home...”

Janis Ian penned "Jesse". The tender ballad involves a woman dealing with the void left by her man. She is hoping the Jesse in the song title will return. A light is kept on at night, in case he comes back. Each day, a place is set for the man at the table. 

The loneliness oozes from between the verses. Ian recorded the song herself, but Roberta Flack's interpretation is even more powerful. The latter was included on her 1973 album 'Killing Me Softly'.

As new songs are covered on this blog, a definitive version will be added to a spotify playlist. Find it and the other Caffé Latté playlists at:

https://open.spotify.com/user/alanrosscaffelatte